News

13February2019

Hi-tech research centre opens in D2N2 LEP area Enterprise Zone

A research and innovation centre supporting manufacturers was due to open today (February 13) at the iHub, Infinity Park Derby – part of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone.

The new Infinity Park Derby facility is a collaboration between the Nuclear AMRC, Derby City Council and the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. A collaboration agreement was signed between the three partners in March 2018.

D2N2 is the private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services, which promotes jobs, business growth and the economy across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Infinity Park is one of four sites in the Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone, strategically overseen by D2N2. The LEP is allocating £12.9 million to develop Infinity Park’s infrastructure, over six years, from its Local Growth Fund allocation.

Around 150 regional manufacturers and stakeholders, including senior D2N2 representatives, are expected to attend today’s opening of the new Infinity Park facility. It will house state-of-the-art manufacturing research and development technology, workshops and offices.

Andrew Storer, Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear AMRC, said: “Our new facility in Derby gives us an incredible opportunity to work with manufacturers of all sizes, operating in the most economically important industries across the Midlands.

“As well as helping companies win work in nuclear, the technologies we are developing can tackle the manufacturing challenges in automotive, rail, aerospace, renewable energy and many other high-value sectors.”

Elizabeth Fagan, Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “With this Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre we are looking to the future; building on Derbyshire and the wider D2N2 LEP area’s reputation for manufacturing excellence.

“As part of D2N2’s Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone, we are investing heavily in Infinity Park Derby, making it an attractive place for innovative companies to locate to do business. The Nuclear AMRC will give small and medium-sized businesses access to leading technological expertise.”

Speakers at today’s event were due to include Dr Hamid Mughal, Director of Manufacturing at Rolls-Royce; Will Tanner, Director of Public Affairs at Bombardier; Neil Foreman, Chief Executive of Centronic, a new member company of the Nuclear AMRC; Craig Lester, Deputy Director of Nuclear Strategy at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; and Councillor Chris Poulter, Leader of Derby City Council.

Minister for Nuclear Energy, Richard Harrington MP, said: “Derby is famous for setting in motion Britain’s Industrial Revolution, with some of the country’s first factories and spinning mills. Now, as part of our modern Industrial Strategy, this new centre of cutting-edge nuclear technology will help to boost local jobs, growth and expertise.”

Nuclear AMRC Midlands will initially be based in two workshops and two office suites within the iHub building. The workshops will be used to develop new manufacturing technologies, exploring new technology areas such as electrical controls and instrumentation. The Derby facility will be a regional base for the Centre’s supply chain development programme, allowing Nuclear AMRC’s team to work closely with companies in the UK’s manufacturing heartlands.

The iHub facility will be the first phase of Nuclear AMRC Midlands. The Centre will continue to work with Derby City Council, the D2N2 LEP and industrial partners to develop proposals for a larger research facility of around 6,000 square metres on Infinity Park. This would focus on later stage development in technology areas, which would deliver maximum impact for the UK’s supply chain.

For more information about the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre go to its website at http://namrc.co.uk/